Posted in Faith, Good Stuff, music, Quotes, Worship on Jan 7th, 2011
He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy. When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me. And O how [...]
Posted in Faith, Missional, Scripture, Theology on Dec 25th, 2010
“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness . . .” (Isaiah 32.1a ESV). This prophecy is just one of many pointing toward the day when the promised Messiah would arrive and usher in His kingdom. The coming King would fulfill the covenant that God made to Abraham. And He would be a faithful mediator in [...]
Posted in Faith, Good Stuff, music, Quotes on Dec 20th, 2010
My favorite Christmas carol is “O Come O Come Emmanuel.” But a close second is this one based on a Longfellow poem. I was reminded of it recently by some fellow missionaries. I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good [...]
We are the incarnation of grace, Radiance in this darkened place, Hope where hope has been erased, We are the incarnation of grace. We are the aroma of the risen Christ, His presence to the estranged and enticed, His victory to those locked in sin’s vice, We are the aroma of the risen Christ. We [...]
It is not uncommon to hear someone say that they are only presenting the gospel message from the Bible, as if they are merely conveying truth and everyone else who presents it differently has an agenda and is warped in their presentation. But the reality is that how we interpret the good news will directly [...]
I’m thankful for a God whose love has depths and dimensions that defy comprehension, whose mercy and compassion have neither limit nor ration, and exceed the confines of my feeble mind. I’m thankful for a God whose grace exceeds my ability to squander it, who pursues me in my wandering, who never gives up, who [...]
We have a really cute baby boy. I know every parent thinks their kids are cute. And most are right. But every once in awhile, you’ll come across a baby who is actually not cute. And the nicest thing you can say at that moment is something along the lines of, “Oh, wow! Isn’t he [...]
Though all around me shifts and moves, Though my thoughts and acts accuse, God will be faithful to His plan, Righteous to His covenant, To keep those He has redeemed, To protect the weak and low-esteemed. His promises cannot be broken. He will fulfill what He has spoken. So trust this God whose heart of [...]
Love covers over a multitude of sins. Love embraces before repentance begins. If we only love those who also love us, It is not born of God, but born of dust. Love always triumphs, love always wins. Love covers over a multitude of sins.
It is impossible to experience the love of Christ, to truly experience it, and then to withhold that love from others. So if I refuse to extend the love of Christ to you, then I am not experiencing it. It is just a theological truth.